The CSS file did not download correctly, the screen reader does not support CSS, or your version of Internet Explorer is too
old for this website.

To get the best possible experience using our website, you should upgrade to a newer version of Internet Explorer, or use
other browser alternatives. If you are using a computer at work, contact your IT administrator.

Content

Continuous high immigration level in 2012

In 2012, 78 500 immigrations and 31 200 emigrations were registered. Although both of these figures were slightly lower than in 2011, the resulting net migration was 47 300; up 300 from the previous record high in 2011.

In 2012 as well as in 2011, 70 000 of the immigrants had a citizenship other than Norwegian. In 2012, 41 000 or 58 per cent of these were citizens of EU member countries, down from 45 500 or 64 per cent the previous year. Whereas 5 900 or 8 per cent of the immigrants were citizens of an African country in 2011, this number increased to 8 600 or 12 per cent last year. Immigration of Swedish citizens decreased from 8 200 in 2011 to 5 700 in 2012. At the end of 2012 the number of net migrations since 1 January 1988 was very close to reaching 500 000. Net migration in each of the last two years was higher than in the whole 10-year period 1976-1985.

High European immigration, but increase from Africa

A total of 45 400 Europeans with citizenship other than Norwegian immigrated, and as has been typical in recent years, Polish citizens made up the largest group, with 11 500; down 1 400 from the previous year. Lithuanian citizens surpassed Swedish citizens in the number of migrations to Norway, and this was the second largest group with 6 600; 1 100 fewer than the previous year. The reduction in the Swedish migration to Norway was far larger, 2 500, and they therefore constituted the third largest group.

Immigration by citizens from countries in Southern Europe with economic problems, such as Spain, Portugal, Greece and Italy, increased by 35 per cent from 2011 to 2012 and reached 2 900, but the numbers are still not high.

Immigration by citizens from the three refugee countries Somalia, Eritrea and Afghanistan increased from 4 800 in 2011 to 7 200 in 2012. The increase was particularly big among Somali citizens; more than doubling from 2011 to 2012, from 1 700 to 3 600.

Once again highest emigration ever among foreign citizens

Of the 31 200 who emigrated, 21 300 were foreign citizens, which once again is the highest figure ever registered. Swedish citizens again made up the largest group in 2012 with 4 700 emigrations compared with the 2 050 Polish.

Polish citizens had the highest net migration (immigration less emigration), with 9 450; down 1 100 from 2011. These were followed by Lithuanian citizens, who had a net migration of 6 050. The third largest group among European citizens was Romanian citizens, whose net migration reached 1 700, up 600 from 2011.